Following numerous researches and a variety of potent effects which have been realized due to the use of cannabis and cannabis related drugs, there are a wide variety of pharmaceuticals that could be potentially be replaced by cannabis. Though a lot of research has been conducted and several studies are still underway, here are some of the likely pharmaceuticals we could see giving way to cannabis in the near future:

Cannabis for opioids

There are states where medicinal use of cannabis has been legalized for over two decades now, and these states have seen the rates of the usage of opioids significantly drop and so are the deaths related to the prescription of these drugs.

According to a Working Paper published in 2015, a research conducted by RAND Corporation concluded that across the 17 states where the use of medicinal cannabis was legalized, there was a drop in the deaths related to opioids overdose by between 16 – 31% following the legalization of the cannabis laws.

Another survey conducted in 2016 assessed 244 patients suffering from chronic pains and who were on medicinal cannabis. Through this survey, it was discovered that the use of opioids declined by 64% and the quality of life score for the participants increased by an average of 45%.

These and many other findings make a strong case to suggest that it is just a matter of time before medicinal cannabis completely replace opioids in the management of chronic pain.

Cannabis for antiepileptic drugs

There are certain severe forms of epilepsy that still doesn’t have concrete medications for controlling seizures. For instance, seizures associated with types like Dravet Syndrome was a big problem until it was discovered that CBD could be used to manage such seizures. As a matter of fact, Epidiolex by GW Pharmaceuticals is now being recognized as an orphan drug in the United States, since it can treat a condition which no other legally recognized drug can treat.

However, quite a number of forms of epilepsy exist and these could be treated using the traditional anticonvulsant medication and most of them come with varied side effects which can sometimes be very detrimental. Several states in the United States now consider epilepsy as an approved condition which can be treated with cannabis based medications. It has also been observed by very many epilepsy patients that treatment using CBD based drugs is more effective and have less debilitating side effects.

Other pharmaceuticals that can be replaced by cannabis

Other than the above, cannabis as shown promising results as a potential replacement for other pharmaceuticals such as:

Antipsychotics – these could be potentially be replaced, especially those based on CBD, simply because CBD is very rich in antipsychotic properties.

Anti-Insomnia – these are also potential candidates since CBD and THC have been discovered to note only encourage sleep, but also increase the duration and quality of sleep.

ADHD – ADHD drugs such as Adderall and Ritalin are not suitable for all types of ADHD patients and a good number of such patients are now opting to replace their meds with cannabis based prescriptions.

Medical marijuana is a term used to refer to the whole unprocessed cannabis plant or its extracts which are used to treat or provide remedy to certain symptoms or medical conditions. In the United States, marijuana is not approved as a medicine by the Food and Drug Administration, though there are a good number of states which already allow the use of medical marijuana under certain circumstances.

Several studies have been done revolving marijuana’s ability to be used as a medicine. The main focus of such studies is on a chemical in marijuana known as cannabinoids, and currently, there are two FDA-approved medications which contain this chemical in pill form. It is believed that with further research and findings, more medications will be created and maybe FDA will finally enlist marijuana as a medicine.

How marijuana works

In order to understand how marijuana works and why it is a candidate for medicine targeting various ailments and conditions, it is important to first understand what cannabinoids are and how they function. Cannabinoids is related to tetrahydrocannabinol and it is the main mind altering substance which makes people high they smoke marijuana. A typical marijuana plant will have more than 100 cannabinoids and it is this substance that most studies aim at extracting, investigating and applying as a remedy to various medical conditions.

The body already produces chemicals similar to the cannabinoids present in marijuana. These chemicals are associated with body processes such as pain, movement, appetite and memory. It is believed that the cannabinoids from marijuana help those produced by the body to work faster and better. Numerous researches involving cannabinoids have come to the conclusion that the cannabinoids from marijuana might help in the following:

reducing anxiety

relieving pain and reducing inflammation

kills carcinogenic cells or reduces the instances of malignancy

can control nausea and instances of vomiting during chemotherapy

can help in the relaxation of tight muscles for people suffering from MS

can stimulate appetite and improve weight gain in cancer patients and persons living with HIV/AIDS

There are quite a number of ailments that medical marijuana is currently being used to treat. They include but are not limited to the following:

Asthma – marijuana has a dilating effect on human airways and it makes it easier for asthmatic people to breathe properly. It also has less harmful effect on the lungs compared to tobacco and cigarettes.

HIV/AIDS – though it is not a cure, it helps people living with HIV/AIDS to have good appetite and sleep well. These are very vital for their continued survival.

Alzheimer’s – marijuana has been effective in treating symptoms associated with this condition such as depression, anxiety, hallucinations, insomnia and aggression.

Menstrual cramps – this is not a disease, but ladies who experience painful cramps during their periods can smoke medical marijuana to ease the pain. Even Queen Victoria did the same during the early 19th century.

Cannabinol, also known as CBN, is simply a metabolite of THC. It is the product of THC breakdown due to the effects of aging or oxidation. The oxidation takes place when THC is exposed to the air. Unlike THC which is known for its high psychoactive effects, CBN is hailed for the fact that it has less high effects and it also comes with a plethora of medical benefits. It is mostly known for its effectiveness in inducing sleep and as such, it is highly preferred for treating cases of insomnia.

How CBN affects the body

Unlike THC, CBN does not bind itself to the cannabinoid receptors of the brain. Instead, it generates sedative effects, and these become even more powerful when combined with THC. The sedative nature of CBN is one of its most pronounced effects in the body and it is believed that it contributes to the drowsy and sleep inducing feelings associated with indica strains of marijuana because such strains tend to have higher concentration of the CBN.

Though it can be used as a sedative, it should be noted that CBN is not psychoactive in anyway. As such, it can make good medicine without necessary making the patients get high. Other than being a sedative, the other benefits of CBN include but are not limited to:

Pain relief

Can be use for anti-bacterial purposes

Can be used to stimulate appetite

Bone Regeneration

Just like with other components of marijuana, there are quite a number of studies involving CBN and it potential use in the development of various medicines. For instance, recent studies have suggested that that CBN can be effective in stimulating bone tissue growth.

This is possible due to ability to stimulate the indirect recruitment of mesenchymal stem cells obtained from the bone marrow of the neighboring bones. These stem cells are not only known to transform into blood cells, but also they have the versatility to turn into tissues and bones. Due to this, CBN can potentially be of help towards the healing of fractures.

Healing of psoriasis

Other than the ability to generate bone tissues, another magnificent effect of CBN which is still under studies is its ability to reduce the overgrowth of skin cells. Though this may not sound important to many people, it could be of great help to patients suffering from psoriasis, where the skin degenerates four times faster than the normal.

With such a property, CBN can helpful in regulating how the body produces the skin cells. Again when applied as topical, the compound has shown tremendous results in the treatment of psoriasis. This is according to a study conducted in 2008.

CBN as an anti-inflammatory

Just like CBD, CBN also comes with very powerful anti-inflammatory properties. It has pain relieving properties which makes it ideal for the treatment of burns since it will act on TRPV2 receptors – the receptors responsible for causing intense pain during burns. Although trials are yet to be completed, the combination of CBN and CBD can be a powerful remedy for treating burns.

Cannabidiol, also known as CBD, is the most dominant compound in cannabis sativa plant. It is completely nonpsychoactive compared to tetrahydrocannabinol, THC. With CBD, you should not expect to get high, but rather, you will get all the relaxation you need without any form of intoxication. This is, however, not to claim that CBD will not have any effect in your body, only that you will not be experiencing the cerebral adventure usually witnessed in the case of THC.

For very many years now, medical experts and the general public have missed out in the importance of CBD because a lot of focus was given to the psychoactiave cannabis. Though, this is fast changing and the CBD is now being recognized as a medicinal ingredient in the United Kingdom.

A brief history of CBD

CBD has a rich history dating back to the spring of 1998 when the British government gave license to GW Pharmaceuticals to grow cannabis with the sole purpose of developing a consistent and precise extract, which was to be used in clinical trials.

This was after the pharmaceuticals company convinced the government that they could produce medicine from cannabis and the medicine would have little or no psychoactive effects when taken by human beings. However, this is not when interest on CBD was realized as records show that it has been in use many years before the involvement of the pharmaceuticals in this particular research.

For instance, CBD has been used over the years to treat a number of ailments and health complications. During the 19th century, Queen Victoria used it to tame menstrual cramps. Several animal studies have also suggested that CBD has the potential of reducing anxiety as well as reducing the severity and the frequency of seizures in patients suffering from epilepsy.

It is only recently when CBD-rich strains became available to marijuana users in places like California. For most of the years, a lot of concentration was on the coming up with marijuana strains rich in THC and this significantly reduced the focus on as well as the amounts of CBD in high growing regions such as North Carolina in the United States.

Ailments treated or managed by CBD

CBD has been hailed for its effects on epilepsy, but this is not the only condition it can help manage or treat. Though lots of clinical tests and trials are still underway, there is sufficient evidence to suggest that CBD can be used to treat the following:

Cigarette addiction

Acne

Diabetes

Multiple Sclerosis

Fibromyalgia

Schizophrenia

Insomnia

Mad Cow Disease

Cohn’s Disease

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Available Mediums for sale

Since it has a wide range of application, CBD is available in various mediums for sale. You will find CBD in forms such as pills, tablets, creams and oils. All these depend on the intended applications. It also goes without saying that there are a number of ways or methods for ingesting or introducing CBD into the body. For instance, for acne treatment, the most common application method would be normal application on the affected spots on the screen as you would do with the ordinary creams.

I49 is A Marijuana Seed Bank

We ship direct to your door in discrete packaging. Our seeds are never substituted and you are always guaranteed authentic genetics. We work with local farmers to provide consistent and tested marijuana seeds.

The history of Seeds & Seed Banks.

The concept of having seed banks first began towards the end of 1980s when biodiversity and extinction of various plants became apparent to the whole world. Through the help of international and national NGOs, communities around the globe began to prepare seed banks of various kinds to primarily preserve the seeds which they thought that were most threatened with extinction back then. During that time, most of the seed banks were owned by communities and some of the countries that pioneered the practice of having seed banks included Ethiopia, Brazil, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Nepal, Philippines and Nicaragua.

In the north, in countries such as the United States and Canada, there was a special type of community seedbank referred to as the Seed-Savers Network that undertook the preservation of seeds. Such networks started in the USA, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom before they spread to other parts of the world. Through the years, the numbers as well as the diversity of the seed banks have increased tremendously, with the world’s largest seed bank being the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway.

The purposes of a Cannabis Seeds & Seed Bank

At its basic application, a seed bank was to store and preserve cannabis seeds, especially from animals and extreme weathers. However, there is more to having seed banks currently than just protecting them from getting destroyed. The most important reason for seed banks now is biodiversity. Plants too have specific genetic traits and these ought to be preserved and there is no better place to do that than in a seed bank. Apart from preserving the crop diversity, the other purposes of a seed bank include:

To protect the extinction of certain crop species due to climate change.

Natural disasters has the potential of wiping out an entire ecosystem and without seed banks, species could be easily lost when such disasters strike.

Protection against man-made disasters such as wars and nuclear accidents.

Research purposes – the people who lived in the past used plants to cure diseases. When the seeds are preserved, there is the possibility of investigating their medicinal properties in the future.

Marijuana seed banks

Marijuana seed banks are where the various strains of marijuana seeds are preserved and stored. It is where growers go to whenever they need the seeds and have the seeds delivered to them. However, it is vital for every grower to approach a marijuana seed bank with great caution.

Since it is the desire of every grower to get the best from their marijuana, you should exercise a lot of vigilance when ordering the seeds from the seed banks because not all the pot seeds banks will have similar reputation. Make it a habit of ordering only from the reputable marijuana seed banks.

Cannabis edibles are simply beverages, foods or ingestible tinctures infused with weed. Currently in the market, edibles are referred to using a variety of names, some of which you have probably heard. They include names such as medibles, firecrackers, brown pot and space cakes amongst others.

Cannabis edibles are stronger, though it takes slightly longer for the effects to be realized as compared to those who inhale marijuana. However, this should not misguide you to think they are any milder. It is imperative for every user to consume the edible responsibly to avoid the detrimental effects of irresponsible consumption.

The history of cannabis edibles in the United States

Eating cannabis is not a phenomenon that started in this century. It is a practice which has been there for hundreds of years. For instance, the Chinese emperors used to brew tea using cannabis and Hindus drank bhang tea which was a concoction of ginger, warm milk, gunjah and garam masala.

But in the United States, the use of marijuana for recreation began around in 1910, following the influx of Mexicans who introduced the practice in the country. Before then, marijuana use was for medical purposes only.

The current era of marijuana edibles can, however, be traced back to 1954, when Alice B Toklas – was an elderly lesbian, published her infamous cookbook which had a recipe known as “Haschich Fudge”. The cookbook brought cooking with cannabis to the mainstream America and from then, various ideas and utilization of marijuana in foods were conceived. It is during this time that edibles like “pot brownies” became popular and we have never looked back since then.

Types of marijuana edibles

A variety of edibles are available in the market today, and they can be broadly classified into three main categories as follows:

Baked goods

Baked goods are intended for gastrointestinal absorption. They include all edibles where the marijuana will be ingested into the stomach and absorbed into the body through the stomach linings. Most of the edibles you will find in this category include cookies, brownies and snacks amongst others.

Drinks

Drinks are intended for oral uptake and they have the advantage of taking effects almost immediately, though they also tend to wear off very quickly. This category also includes the edibles which you hold in your mouth for a given amount of time. Such include tinctures, lozenges and suckers.

Oils, butter, liqueurs

The final category includes the oils, butter and liqueurs. This category is rather hybrid since the marijuana in the products can be absorbed either in the mouth or in the stomach.

The side effects of cannabis edibles are not so many, and they will typically appear when you take more than the recommended amounts. As usual, the side effects will pronounce themselves differently on each individual and once they are realized, it is imperative for the user to watch their uptake of the edibles. The most common side effects include-: cotton mouth, anxiety and hangovers.

To be on the safe side, it is recommended that you start with a smaller portion the edibles and wait for between 30 and 45 minutes to evaluate its effects on the body and also to let you know about the tolerance levels of your body. From there on, you can then adjust the quantities accordingly, but be sure not to take too much of it.

With the success of cannabis industry in the United States, one would be sufficiently correct to say that studies on marijuana are never going to end. Tones are seen changing as some of the strong voices that at one time opposed the legalization of the substance seem to adopt soft stances and they tend to now support more studies of cannabis across various fields. But as all the hullabaloos go on, here are some of the ten cannabis studies you will find amazing:

Legal cannabis can be used to protect young people

This is according to a study conducted in Colorado where it was discovered that the number of young people using cannabis after its decriminalization dropped by 22%. Since the legislations came into effect, four out of five young people do not use cannabis, not even on occasional basis.

Riding bicycle when high

Riding Bicycle when High Study was conducted in Germany where participants who were regular consumers of cannabis were allowed to smoke one, two, and three joints of cannabis and then cycle round a truck after each joint. It was observed that there were no significant changes on how they peddled before and after they smoked. You should, however, not misinterpret the results then go peddling after smoking weed.

Those who use cannabis takes fewer seek days

This was from a survey dubbed, “The Effect of Cannabis on Sick Leave” and it concluded that there was a significant reduction in the number of those who applied for sick leave after medicinal cannabis and its seeds was legalized.

While alcohol makes you aggressive, cannabis makes you calm and peaceful

When as study compared the effects of alcohol to those of cannabis, it was discovered that those who consumed cannabis regularly were more peaceful compared to their counterparts who took alcohol on a regular basis.

Insulin resistant diabetes and insulin

Studies have revealed that cannabis users have better blood sugar values than patients who are non-users. From one particular study, cannabis users had lower values of up to 16% compared to patients who have never smoked cannabis.

You can get slim when you smoke cannabis

A relation has been established between the Body’s Mass Index and regular use of cannabis and it has been observed that regular users of cannabis never suffer from weight problems. Experts try to attribute this to the ability of cannabis to lower down blood sugar, which is always a contributing factor in obese people.

Cannabis can help in the treatment of psychological conditions

A research by the University of British Columbia on the potential effects of cannabis withdrawal noted that it could be used as a withdrawal drug for drugs that have more lethal effects and also through the use of cannabis, the use of opioids-based painkillers could also be reduced significantly.

Young people know how to handle cannabis better than old people

A study in the United Kingdom revealed that younger people, between the ages of 15 – 17 were good at handling cannabis compared to adults who got stoned very fast. Additionally, the study also concluded that cannabis consumption could only be problematic if consumed when people are too young and they consumer too much of it.

Cannabis does not reduce the size of the brain

There is no hard evidence to suggest that cannabis is related to the development of schizophrenia as has been believed in many quarters and there is no way how the use of cannabis can affect the size of brain, whether in adults or young people.

Secondary school pupils in academies smoke more marijuana

This is according to a study in Netherlands where it was concluded that there was a connection between the consumption of cannabis and the type of school. Pupils in academies were concluded to take a lot of drugs compared to those in public schools or other types of schools.

Indoor growing of marijuana is something that most approved patients are yet to get right. For quality results, a great deal of vigilance is necessary when considering factors such as the indoor growth medium and the growth conditions. Also vitally important, is the choice of the specific strain to grow indoors.

It goes without saying that not all strains are the same and some will perform better outdoors while other will do well indoors. For greater success for your indoor marijuana growing, here are the top 10 strains worth considering:

Super Skunk Automatic

Super Skunk Automatic is a strong, sturdy and skunky strain, ideal for medicinal indoor growers. It has powerful indica effects, though not strong enough to send you to sleep. If you are a medicinal grower who seeks pain and stress relief without the normal tedious “couchlock”, then this is a strain worth considering. It is low maintenance and you won’t be bothered by the need to remove male plants, change lights, or do any form of pruning or trimming.

Northern Lights Automatic

This is an indoor strain suitable for intermediate growers in need of something special. The strain boasts of powerful effects, ease of growth and high quality leaves. The plant is quite small in size and will never grow beyond one meter in height. Additionally, has a short flowering period of about 8 weeks.

Northern Lights Haze #5 Haze Feminized

If you have some experience growing marijuana successfully in the past, then you should try growing the Northern Lights #5 Have Feminized variety. The strain takes at least ten weeks to flower and requires a lot of attention, tender care and extra support, especially when the lateral branches are on their latest stages of development. It is a powerful and high yielding plant and for you to be successful with it, you will need to have a great deal of skill and patience.

Big Bud Feminized

This is the strain to go for if you desire gargantuan amount of buds from your plant. Big Bud Feminized is the result of a breeding program which brought together skunk Afghan genetics with Afghan cultivar to create a marvelous indica-dominant marijuana variety.

Silver Haze #9 Feminized

A good number of growers are afraid to try out the Haze strains because they take relatively long to flower, they tend to keep on vegetating even on a 12/12 light cycle and also because of their height. In as much as the Silver Haze # Feminized strain may exhibit some of these features, what you get eventually will be worth the effort. The results boasts of large yields and it is also the strain to consider if you are limited to just a number of plants due to space constraints.

Maple Leaf Indica

Pure indicas were staple strains for indoor growers for very many years and this was due to their admirable attributes such as short flowering periods, reliable growth patterns and high quality yields. Though their dominance has been diluted by the emergence of the more stable sativa-dominant breeds, Maple Leaf Indica is one strain that has managed to successfully wade off any attempts to go under due to the influence of the hybrid newcomers. The variety is known to produce lots of beautiful, thick, deep-green leaves that will require you some time to crush successfully.

Jack Herer

Jack Herer displays a perfect indica/sativa balance in the ratio of 1:1. With this strain, you get a perfect balance of cerebral high and body stone and it is a strain more more awards under its belt than any other cannabis variety. It is ideal if you desire a perfectly homogenous marijuana strain.

Shiva Shanti II

Shiva Shanti II is the strain to consider if you require milder effect and you are a beginner grower on budget. It is cheap, fast, tough and very forgiving. At 75% indica, the strain boasts of a fast flowering period and a normal height gain, but will always deliver very good yields.

American Dream

With the American Dream, you get speed, reliability and potency from a classic skunk-afghan hybrid blended with high quality sativas from Hawaii and Jamaica. The strain produces plants characterized with thick, dense and spiky buds which are reminiscent of the Christmas tree shape. As such, they are easy to work and grow, making it a favorite strain for individuals with compact grow spaces.

Skunk Automatic Strain

The Skunk Automatic is the ideal strain for beginners or individuals on a budget. It is pleasantly easy to grow and it comes with very rewarding results. This particular strain taps into the unique qualities which made skunk win multiple awards such as being able to be grown by individuals with zero experience in gardening. Flowering takes about five weeks, after which after which you will see thick compact bushes that will be ready for harvest after about fifteen days.